Theater chair



Dec. 25, 1951 R. A. CHAILLOT 2,579,795

Tl-IEATER CHAIR Filed Aug. 50. 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENT OR ATTORNEYS R. A. CHAILLOT THEATER CHAIR Dec. 25, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 30, 1945 INVENTOR Dec. 25, 1951 R. A. 'CHAILLOT THEATER CHAIR 4 Sheet's-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 30, 1945 V ,Izvvezwfior R .fl ell/0J2) LL65 Patented Dec. 25, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT 2,579,795

THEATER (31min Roger Andr Chaillot, Paris, France, assignor to Societe Anonyme dite: Societe Marocaine fle Constructions Mecaniques. Application August so, 1945, SerialN'o. titi''e In France December 8', 1944 llaims. (o1. it s-i91 The present invention relates to a chair and more particularly to a chair of the type utilized in public places such as. theaters, auditoriums and the like.

It is an object of the present invention to provide such a chair, preferably of pressed material, so constructed and arranged so as to avoid the many drawbacks attendant to Wood or metal framed chairs conventionally utilized in public places.

It is an additional object to provide a chair frame structure such that With a single frame type more varied styles, colors and artistic eifects of the seating arrangement are obtained while simultaneously providing the utmost in comfort and a structure that complies With all the safety regulations in force as regards fire hazards and sanitation.

Moreover, the chair according to this invention is far stronger than those in use at present and cannot damage the occupants clothes.

The chair according to this invention is of improved construction and comprises a frame consisting of a pair of similar shell halves connected with each other in the plane of symmetry of the chair: said shell halves are assembled preferably by means of lugs bent into said plane of symmetry and received in a supporting and stiifening member conforming to the curvature of the shells and having a U-shaped section, between the flanges of which said lugs are secured, for instance, by means of bolts and nuts.

Where such chairs are used in play-houses or at least are grouped in rows of similar elements interconnected laterally, one single front leg and one single back leg are preferably provided in each supporting element, in the plane of symmetry of the chair, and rigid with respect to the supporting member.

The shell halves forming the frame are designed so that the frames when grouped in rows can be secured easily. For that purpose they are provided, preferably at the front of their outer edges, with bent lugs to be secured by-pairs in any suitable way, to interconnect them rigidly.

Arm-rests are laid on flat or plane portions provided for that purpose on the top of the outer edges of the shell halves; 'said arm-rests can be designed to interconnect two adjacent chairs and thus strengthen the connection already secured as described.

The chair can be fitted with a tiltablesat, particularly if used in a play-house and said seat is 'fulcrumed on a rod the ends of which pivot in recesses provided therefori'n 'the"outer =2 edges of the respective companion shell halves. Said seats are designed so that they can be pressed easily; they are made advantageously of two superimposed parts, which permits of alter= ing their appearance more readily and likewise the utilization of padding.

An attached back is formed in the aXi's'of symmetry thereof with lugs to be inserted between the bent lugs on the shell halves and also between the flanges of the supporting member straddling said lugs and to be secured thereto, for instance, by means of bolts and nuts; additional means can be provided on the side edges of the hacks for interconnecting the abutting edges of two adjacent elements.

Other peculiarities will appear from the following description of an embodiment of this invention, reference being bad to the appended drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is an isometric perspective view 'of the various parts whose assemblage provides the chair.

Figure 1a is an isometr'ic p'erspective view of a shell in one single piece; 7

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on the axis of symmetry of the chair.

Figure 3 is a front elevational view showing how two adjoining chairs ar assembled, and Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line IV -IV in Fig.3. I

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken opposite part I 6 in Fig; 2.

The chair shown comprises a frame having substantially the shape of 'a-quartersph'ere hav ing upwardly and forwardly extending edges aha consisting of a pair ofsymmetric shell halves 'l, a supporting and stiifening member 2, a back} andfa tiltable seat 4. In F'igure 1a a single shell la constitutes a frame component and will be-described in detail hereinafter.

Each shell half is-formed with' an inner'edge 5 bent at right angles anddrilled with two holes 6 at its upper portion andwith one hole I at its lower portion; its outer'edge is formed with a tongue 8 to be used rer, attaching asimilar juxtaposed element, and withabore "9 to receive one of the trunnions about which theat 4 1 s tiltable.

The supporting and stiifening "member has a U-shaped section, 'thefianges'of which are drilled with a pair of holes l0 at their upper portions and one hole at their lower ends. The supporting and stiffening member is formed or provid'e'd with a back leg 12 entrancinle is; "the legs 12 Y and 13 can "be fitted at tires 'n'ds with bearing members l4 and I5 suited to the particular way in which the chair is anchored, such as by nailing, screwing, sealing.

The back 3 is provided on its rear surface in its axis of symmetry thereof, with a pair of lugs Hi to be inserted between the bent edges 5 of the pair of shell halves I providing the seat frame, which in turn are inserted between the flanges on supporting and stiffening member 2. The lugs l6 are drilled with holes I! while bolts are passed through holes l0, 6 and H for holding the supporting member, the two shell halves and the back in assembled relation.

The seat is provided with a pair of trunnions 18 to be received in recesses 9 provided for that purpose. The seat is also provided at the rear thereof and in its plane of symmetry with a fiat finger [9 to be engaged in the guide provided therefor by the groove or space existing between the bent edges 5 of the companion shell halves which in turn are straddled by the flanges on the supporting member. Yielding abutments 20 stop said finger in its end positions. A spring 21 wound about the trunnions l8 urges the seat permanently towards its lifted position by a rocking motion about the axis of its trunnions l8.

Said seat is made of two parts, namely, a frame 22 carrying the trunnions l8 and formed with ribs 23 and a member, 24 providing a cover and having its edges 25 fitted over the edges of the frame22, the ribs 26 being in alignment with the frame ribs .23.

Removable arm-rests 21 are secured by any suitable means on top of the sides of the shell halves. r 7

For the purpose of uniting two adjoining chairs ina row the connecting arrangement illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 may be used:' the lugs 8 provided at either outer edge of the shell halves l are clamped between fish-plates 38, 3| by means of bolts 32 whose heads 33 are flush with fishplate the said fish-plates are suitably shaped in cross section to firmly hold the lugs 8, while the front face of fish-plate 38 is so designed that a pleasant appearance of the whole is secured.

It will be appreciated that this particular provision of only two legs for each chair, arranged in the plane of symmetry of the latter, enables the chairs pertaining to the same row to be arranged easily in any desired curve, particu- J ment the frontand rear faces of this shell mem her are provided respectively with a groove and an outwardly extending lug or rib located in the plane of symmetry thereof. The groove in the front face accommodating the finger IQ of the seat 4 and the protuberance or rib on the rear face cooperating with the flanges on the supporting and stiffening member 2.

It is to be remarked, however, that the utiliza tion of two shell halves permits the use of much smaller dies thereby rendering the pressing operation more economical and simpler. It is obvious that the supporting and stiffening member could be provided with a different cross section iii 4 other than the U-shaped section illustrated although as readily appreciated such a section is particularly advantageous in view of the many purposes for which this member 2 must serve.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A chair designed more particularly for use in play-houses comprising a frame having substantially the shape of a quarter sphere having upwardly and forwardly extending edges, bores located adjacent the front edges of said frame, means to support the frame in spaced relation to a supporting surface, a seat having trunnions for engaging said bores mounted for tilting motion in said frame, the rear edges of said seat having a substantially circular outline and remaining in close proximity to the substantially spherical bottom portion of the frame which conforms to the shape of the rear edge of the seat throughout the tilting movement of the same from its dropped to its canted position.

2. A chair according to claim 1 comprising a rounded back secured to the frame, the bottom portion of said rounded back merging into the rear portion of the seat.

3. A chair according to claim 1 designed to provide one element in a row of similar chairs anchored at their sides to one another and in which the means for supporting the frames includes a longitudinal supporting and stiffening member located in the longitudinal plane of symmetry of the chair, adapted to support the frame and conforming to the curvature thereof,

and front and rear legs located respectively at the front and rear of the bottom portion of the v supporting and stiffening member.

4. A'chair according to claim 1 designed to provide one element in a row of similar chairs anchored at their sides to one another and in which the means for supporting the frames includes a longitudinal supporting and stiffening member of channel shape section located in the longitudinal plane of symmetry of the chair, adapted to receive portions of the frame and to support the frame, and front and rear legs secured respectively to the front and rear bottom portion of the supporting and stiffening member.

5. A chair according to claim 1 wherein each frame is composed of two similar halves connected with each other in the longitudinal plane of symmetry of the chair.

6. A chair according to claim 1 designed to provide one element in a row of similar chairs anchored at their sides to one another and in which the means for supporting each chair frame includes a longitudinal supporting and stiffening member located in the longitudinal plane of symmetry of the chair for supporting the frame and conforming to the curvature thereof, front and rear legs arranged respectively at the front and rear of the bottom portion of the supporting and stifiening member, and wherein each frame is made up of two similar halves connected with each other on the plane of symmetry of the r chair, the longitudinal supporting and stiffening member having a U-shaped section and the inner edges of either frame half being bent out and received and secured in the U-shaped section of the said member.

7. A chair according to claim 1 designed to provide one element in a row of similar chairs anchored at their sides to one another and in which the supporting means'for the frameincludes a longitudinal supporting and stifiening member located in the longitudinal plane of syming and stiffening member, and wherein each 5 frame is made up of two similar shell-like halves connected with each other in the plane of symmetry of the chair, the longitudinal supporting and stiffening member having a U-shaped section, and the inner edges of either frame half being bent out and received and secured in the U-shaped section of the stiffening member, and a back formed in the longitudinal plane of symmetry thereof with a rib received and secured between the inner bent edges of the pair of frame halves.

8. A chair according to claim 1 designated to provide one element in a row of similar chairs anchored at their sides to one another and in which the supporting means includes a longitudinal supporting and stiffening member located in the longitudinal plane of symmetry of the chair, adapted to support the frame and conforming to the curvature thereof, and front and rear legs arranged respectively at the front and rear of the bottom portion of the supporting and stiffening member, the supporting and stiffening member having a U -shaped section, the frame formed in its longitudinal plane of symmetry with a U-shaped portion received in the U -shaped section of the stiffening member, and a rocking seat being provided at its rear edge in its plane of symmetry with a stud guided in the U-shaped portion of the frame.

9. A chair according to claim 1 designed to provide one element in a row of similar chairs anchored at their sides to one another and in which the supporting means for the frame includes a longitudinal supporting and stiffening member located in the longitudinal plane of symmetry of the chair for supporting the frame and conforming to the curvature thereof, and legs situated at the front and rear of the bottom portion of the supporting and stiffening member, and each frame being provided at either side thereof with lugs serving to anchor the same to the adjoining chairs in the row.

10. A chair according to claim 1 designed to provide one element in a row of similar chairs anchored at their sides to one another and in which the supporting means includes a longitudinal supporting and stiffening member located in the longitudinal plane of symmetry of the chair for supporting the frame and conforming to the curvature thereof, and front and rear legs arranged respectively at the front and rear bottom portion of the supporting and stiffening member, each frame being provided at either side thereof with lugs serving to anchor the same to the adjoining chairs in the row, and means to be secured to the lugs on two adjoining chairs allowing same to pivot in said means.

ROGER ANDRE CHAILLOT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 232,496 Heywood Sept. 21, 1880 2,256,893 Cable Sept. 23, 1941 2,258,864 Rieger Oct. 14, 1941 2,319,597 Hanson May 18, 1943 2,336,128 Ronk Dec. '7, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 279,554 Germany Oct. 22, 1914 676,559 France Feb. 25, 1930 409,359 Great Britain Apr. 30, 1934 

